For the Cleansing of saidin Rand choose to seat on a hill some miles north to the death city of Shadar Logoth, using the power of the two sa'angreal to direct and nullify the taint against the evil residing in the damned city.

However, the massive beacon of saidin and saidar drawn through the Choeden Kal, made them an easy target for every one of the Forsaken and possibly other Darkfriend channelers to attack while they were vulnerable. As a countermeasure, several of Rand's allies, including Aes Sedai and Asha'man, stood ready to defend Rand and Nynaeve against the forces of the Shadow.

Forces of the Shadow

The Battle

The forces of the light split into several groups of Aes Sedai, Asha'man and others who could channel, linked in readiness for the upcoming attack. They were directed by Cadsuane to patrol the four directions around the hill, while Cadsuane [strength 9(+4)] stayed near Rand and Nynaeve on the top of the hill, to defend them with her Paralis-net.

The Aes Sedai Sarene Nemdahl [18(6)] and Corele Hovian [18(6)], linked with the Asha'man Damer Flinn [described as one of the strongest Asha'man in Rand's group], patrolled the area near Shadar Logoth, to the south.

Almost immediately after Rand and Nynaeve began channeling with the Choeden Kal, the forces of the Shadow

Cadsuane provides a shield to protect Rand and Nynaeve during the Cleansing of Saidin

responded and entered the fray. The first attack was directed at Cadsuane, with lightning hitting a shield woven around the hilltop where Rand, Nynaeve, and several defenders were working. Elza's circle was quick to begin countering in the direction of its origin. Cyndane and Demandred soon arrived separately, but were attacked with the power immediately after their channeling was detected by Cadsuane's ter'angreal, forcing them to retreat elsewhere through gateways.

Emerging from another gateway, Demandred fled again when Sarene, Corele, and Flinn began an attack in his direction, causing him to retreat for a time. During this fight Sarene was badly injured but Damer healed her. While Cyndane and Osan'gar each attempted to make their way toward Rand, Verin's circle was attacked by Graendal and was nearly overpowered, resulting in the death of Kumira.

Meanwhile, the circle consisting of Eben, Nesune, Daigian, and Beldeine encountered Aran'gar in the woods. Eben, being the only Asha'man, was the only one able to sense him/her holding saidin and threw himself at her in attack, sacrificing his life so that the others might survive. Around the same time, Cyndane (Lanfear reincarnated) encounered and battled Alivia. Although Alivia managed to drive off Cyndane, her arm was broken and scorched to the bone; this injury was later healed completely by Flinn.

Osan'gar made his way towards the center of the fray, spotting Narishma wielding Callandor, and Rand. With the hope of being named Nae'blis in his mind, he began weaving Balefire in order to destroy Rand. However, he was spotted by Elza, who was still linked with Merise and Jahar Narishma. Although she too was secretly a darkfriend, she was under Verin's Compulsion to protect Rand and recognized Osan'gar only as the Asha'man Corlan Dashiva, and she destroyed him with Callandor without knowing that he was a Forsaken, or even another Friend of the Dark.

Nearing the end of the battle, Rand and Nynaeve had finished delving into saidin and the massive dome of the Dark One's taint above Shadar Logoth had finished growing. Moghedien, who had arrived near the beginning and had been merely watching the battle from a hiding spot, now looked on in horror as the dome collapsed. The resulting vacuum sent her flying into the air, dragging her across the stony ground and tumbling into trees. Strangely, she felt no fear.

After the battle, the remaining Forsaken realized that they had failed and retreated. Though the company suffered a number of casualties, Kumira and Eben were the only fatalities. Rand and Nynaeve were both unconscious from the strain of their immense channeling, and after lending their hand at a bit of quick Healing, both Damer Flinn and Jahar Narishma stated that saidin had successfully been cleansed, though lingering doubts remained in the minds of many of the Aes Sedai who had participated in the battle.[1]